Speed King

Deep Purple

About Speed King

"Speed King" is a song by the English rock band Deep Purple, from their 1970 album Deep Purple in Rock. A live version from Deep Purple in Concert was released as the B-side of the US release of the single "Black Night". "Speed King" is not a cover, however many of its lyrics are borrowed from popular oldies, including "Rip It Up", "Good Golly Miss Molly", "Tutti Frutti", "Great Balls Of Fire" and "The Battle of New Orleans". The song was the first song to be written by vocalist Ian Gillan, who wrote the lyrics by writing down a mix of lines from Elvis Presley, Little Richard and Chuck Berry songs in the order that they came to mind. In an interview with Gillan, he stated: "The first things that came into my head were Chuck Berry and Little Richard words, so I just stole them." Possibly because of this, the song was never played without him. However, during the years that he has been in the band, it has been one of the band's staple live performances. 


Year:
2003
4:20
58 
#1

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Good golly, said little miss molly
When she was rockin' in the house of blue light
Tutti frutti was oh so rooty
Rockin' to the east and west
Lucille was oh so real
When she didn't do her daddies will
Come on baby, drive me crazy, do it, do it

I'm a speed king you go to hear me sing
I'm a speed king see me fly

Saturday night and I just got paid
Gonna fool about ain't gonna save
people gonna rock some people gonna roll
Gonna have a party to save my soul
Hard headed woman and a soft hearted man
They been causing trouble since it all began
Take a little rice take a little beans
Gonna rock and roll down to New Orleans

I'm a speed king you go to hear me sing
I'm a speed king see me fly, oh
Oh oh c'mon oh oh
Good golly, said little miss molly
When she was rockin' in the house of blue light
Tutti frutti was oh so rooty
Rockin' to the east and west
Hard headed woman and a soft hearted man
They been causing trouble since it all began
Take a little rice take a little beans
Gonna rock and roll down to New Orleans

I'm a speed king you go to hear me sing
I'm a speed king see me fly

I'm a speed king you go to hear me sing
I'm a speed king see me 

I'm a speed king you go to hear me sing
I'm a speed king see me fly

 The easy, fast & fun way to learn how to sing: 30DaySinger.com


Deep Purple

Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in Hertford in 1968. They are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal and modern hard rock, although some band members claimed that their music cannot be categorised as belonging to any one genre. They were once listed by the Guinness Book of World Records as "the globe's loudest band", and have sold over 100 million albums worldwide, including 7.5 million certified units in the US. Deep Purple were ranked number 22 on VH1's Greatest Artists of Hard Rock programme. more »

8 fans

Written by: IAN GILLAN, IAN PAICE, JON LORD, RITCHIE BLACKMORE, ROGER GLOVER

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


13 facts about this song

Release Details
"Speed King" is a song by the English rock band Deep Purple, from their 1970 album "Deep Purple in Rock".
Origin of Track
It is the opening track on the album, introducing the band's new harder, heavier sound.
Musical Genre
Classified as belonging to the hard rock and heavy metal genres, "Speed King" significantly contributed to the development of these genres.
Unique Song Structure
Unlike traditional rock songs, "Speed King" starts with a 1-minute instrumental introduction that gradually introduces each instrument in the band.
Specific Lyrics
The lyrics to "Speed King" mention several early rock and roll artists, including Little Richard, Elvis Presley, and Chuck Berry, as well as the song "Tutti Frutti".
Signature Solo Section
The mid-section of "Speed King" is noteworthy for containing a call-and-response solo section between guitar and organ, showcasing the virtuosity of band members Ritchie Blackmore and Jon Lord.
Performance Jam
During live performances of "Speed King", Deep Purple would often extend the song with long instrumental jams, sometimes lasting over 10 minutes.
Inclusion in Multiple Versions
A shortened, single version of the song was released in several countries, but this version omitted the instrumental opening, as well as parts of the mid-section, and end solos.
Impact on Other Musicians
The frenetic pace and heavy sound of "Speed King" has been cited as an influence by several later hard rock and heavy metal bands, including Iron Maiden and Metallica.
Banned from BBC
"Speed King" was initially banned by the BBC because of its opening guitar crash, which they believed would make listeners think their radio had broken.
Inclusion in Soundtracks
The song continues to enjoy popularity, featuring in several movie soundtracks and video games such as 'Almost Famous' and 'Gran Turismo 4'.
Live Performances
"Speed King" was a regular part of Deep Purple's live setlist, and performances of the song can be found on numerous Deep Purple live albums.
High Chart Performance
In 1970, "Speed King" peaked at No.5 on the German music chart, marking one of the highest chart performances for the band.

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